Clinical and Methodological Challenges With Assessing Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in the Military

Background: A vast majority of traumatic brain injuries sustained by military personnel are mild in severity. In 2008, the United States Department of Defense officially mandated a screening program designed to identify deployment-related mild traumatic brain injuries and associated residual symptoms. Objective: This article reviews this screening program, illustrates the clinical and methodological challenges associated with screening, and makes recommendations for improving the process of screening for mild traumatic brain injuries and related symptoms.